Putting the ‘Hiss’ in History
If you are looking to trace the origin of when this incorporation of snake and man came into religious existence, then certain research would point to the Naga clan. A highly developed culture, the Indus valley civilization proves the existence of snake worship amongst the Nagas, who by that time had a fairly dominant culture over India, even though other researchers say that this practice was initiated by the Aryans. So rather than playing who started what, let’s accept that this is a seriously old tradition.
The belief at the time was that the snake is a representation of rebirth, death and mortality of mankind, symbolically represented by the casting of its skin as a sign of being ‘reborn’ or ‘born anew’, a belief amongst many others, that holds strong even in this day and age showcasing the fortitude of man’s fight against the progress of the new world.
